REFUEL Nutrition: Foundational Habits for Fueling Performance
#25 - Strength & Speed Coaching – Pursuing Your Best ⚡
If you want athletes to perform at a high level, they need more than just a good training plan—they need the fuel to support it.
And yet, nutrition is often the most overlooked piece of the performance puzzle.
That’s why Gage Rosier and I created the REFUEL framework. It’s simple, memorable, and rooted in the foundational habits that make the biggest impact.
This newsletter kicks off a multi-part series focused on Nutrition & Recovery. In this first installment, we’ll revisit the purpose behind REFUEL and walk through six high-impact habits that can transform how your athletes feel, perform, and recover—without calorie counting or overcomplication.
If you’re a PE teacher or Strength & Speed coach looking for practical, school-friendly ways to talk nutrition with your athletes, this one’s for you. Be sure to check out the end of this newsletter for a downloadable resource.
Why We Built REFUEL
We needed something that would cut through the noise.
Something that wouldn’t overwhelm athletes with macros, supplements, or fad diets.
Something that would reinforce the basics—the small, repeatable behaviors that actually drive long-term results.
That’s where REFUEL came in:
R – Remember Breakfast
E – Eat Often
F – Frequently Hydrate
U – Utilize Recovery Methods
E – Eat Fruits & Veggies
L – Lean Protein
Each letter represents a foundational habit. Nothing fancy. Just the simple things done consistently.
The Six REFUEL Habits: What They Mean & Why They Matter
Let’s break down each one with a quick overview you can use with your own athletes.
1. Remember Breakfast
Skipping breakfast is one of the easiest ways to underperform.
Eating within 30 minutes of waking up jumpstarts metabolism, restores energy levels, and improves mental focus in the classroom and weight room.
Teach athletes to:
Eat something—anything—early.
Include protein, carbs, and hydration.
Prep it the night before if needed.
Bottom Line: Breakfast sets the tone. No more starting the day on empty.
2. Eat Often
Waiting 6 hours between meals is a great way to get moody, crash in class, or show up to practice on fumes.
Frequent fueling keeps energy stable, supports muscle growth, and helps athletes stay mentally sharp.
Teach athletes to:
Eat about every 3–4 hours.
Pack snacks if they’re on the go.
Think “fuel before and after” training.
Bottom Line: Fuel early, fuel often. Stay ahead of the crash.
3. Frequently Hydrate
If they’re only drinking water at practice, they’re already behind.
Hydration is one of the fastest ways to improve performance, reduce injury risk, and feel better—almost instantly.
Teach athletes to:
Carry a water bottle.
Drink first thing in the morning.
Use pee color as a hydration check.
Bottom Line: Strength and speed suffer when hydration is off. Drink throughout the day.
4. Utilize Recovery Methods
Training breaks the body down. Recovery builds it back up.
Sleep, post-workout nutrition, and mobility work are some of the most overlooked tools for performance.
Teach athletes to:
Sleep 8+ hours a night.
Use post-practice shakes or snacks.
Foam roll or stretch regularly.
Bottom Line: You don’t grow from training. You grow from recovering well after training.
5. Eat Fruits & Veggies
Vitamins. Minerals. Fiber. Antioxidants. Immune support. Recovery fuel.
They’re packed with everything athletes need—and yet most don’t eat enough.
Teach athletes to:
Add a fruit or veggie to every meal or snack.
Eat the rainbow: different colors = different benefits.
Use dips or smoothies if they’re picky.
Bottom Line: Whole foods fuel whole performance. Go colorful.
6. Lean Protein
Protein builds and repairs muscle. It’s essential for growth, recovery, and body composition.
Teach athletes to:
Eat protein at every meal and snack.
Prioritize complete animal-based proteins when possible.
Supplement only when food isn’t available.
Bottom Line: No matter the goal, you need protein. Eat it early. Eat it often.
How to Start Using REFUEL in Your Program
Here are a few ideas to start building awareness and accountability:
Post the REFUEL acronym on weight room walls, locker rooms, and classroom spaces.
Talk through one letter each week with your athletes as a habit focus. We alternate our lessons. 1 week nutrition, the next week leadership.
Create a simple checklist or quiz to help athletes reflect on what they’re already doing well—and where they can improve.
Celebrate small wins. Catch athletes making good nutrition decisions and reinforce the behavior.
You don’t need a PhD in nutrition to make an impact. You just need a system that makes sense to your kids—and one you can consistently talk about.
What’s Next?
This series is just getting started. Over the next few newsletters:
We’ll dive into how to build simple fueling habits that stick—from breakfast to bedtime—with practical routines and tools your athletes can actually use.
Then, we’ll shift focus to recovery strategies, lean protein, and busting common myths about what young athletes really need to grow and perform.
Finally, we’ll tackle the biggest questions in nutrition—cutting through confusion and helping athletes make smarter choices in real life.
Whether you’re looking to educate athletes, improve buy-in, or support recovery, this series will give you tools to make nutrition a more consistent part of your Strength & Speed program.
Want Help Implementing REFUEL?
I offer consulting for PE teachers and Strength & Speed coaches who want to bring systems like REFUEL into their programs—without it taking over your schedule.
Interested in:
Building a school-wide nutrition message?
Integrating recovery habits into your training system?
Creating resources your athletes will actually use?
Hit reply or shoot me a message and let’s talk.
Until next time—keep pursuing excellence.
— Preston ⚡️
